Love Destiny
by iambabygg
Summary: (***New Cover Image, edited by me!) Can someone truly love someone through arrange marriages? Will the arrogant prince, Tobirama, learn to accept the mischievous princess, Samui? (*Confused about this pairing & setting? Read my msg/note/info in Ch. 1!) Stay tuned! Enjoy! iambabygg ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
1. The Two Princesses

**Author's Message:**

 **📢 ATTENTION! 📢 VERY IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ ALL OF THESE INFORMATION, NOTES, MESSAGE FIRST IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND AND LAYOUT OF THE STORY!**

Rated 'T' for _some very, very minor_ violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes (in later chapters, i.e. Ch. 5).

 **You're probably thinking why the hell did I choose this pairing and this background setting? 💭 Lol, well, below is your answer! ✔️✔️✔️  
**

I absolutely adore Tobirama! 😘 He's such a hottie! The leading male character that I envisioned is someone who has a stern and strict personality and a very responsible man, which perfectly fits Tobirama's 'real' character, so that's why I decided to pick him as our main guy. For the leading female character, I wanted someone beautiful (not too young or too old) and someone who doesn't resemble a 'good girl'-type (especially because I didn't want to create an OC!), so I decided to pick Samui. (Yup, same pair, just like "The Girl Next Door - A Tobirama x Samui AU Fanfic". That story was my biggest hit! It had +1,300 views! 😊 Sankyu! Go read it if you haven't yet!)

Yes, I know that Mabui and Samui are NOT siblings, but in this story, they will be! 😄 I picked Mabui, because she is beautiful like Samui and also from Kumogakure. Also, yes, I know that their age is not even close to their 'real' age, but who cares, right?! It's anime! You can never really distinguish someone's age anyways!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or its characters! I'm just a fan that's inspired by the great works of its creators. This is just a fanfiction and does not have any affiliation to the actual anime or manga. Also, I personally don't know much about Japanese culture or feudal Japan in general. Therefore, I basically just researched these background information, so all these info are not 100% accurate! 🚫💯

 *****Note 📢📢📢 –** **In my story** ( **1** ) every specific country or 'part of land' (i.e. Cloud Village) will be ruled by one person, the shogun, NOT -KAGE! Therefore, his children will be addressed as 'princess' or 'prince' by the citizens. Social ranking will follow the typical feudal Japan ranking, i.e. emperor, shogun's, daimyo's, samurais, etc. ( **2** ) According to Naruto Wikia, _their_ version of the **Warring States Period** (as we all know) was "the long, violent era preceding the formation of the hidden villages." It was legitimately influenced by the Sengoku Period ("Age of Warring States", 1467-1568), "a period in Japanese history marked by social upheaval, political intrigue and near-constant military conflict." My point is, I STILL DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT JAPAN HISTORY! Sorry! Sooooo, just imagine the Naruto world, where there is NO NINJA/SHINOBI reference! WHY?! BECAUSE HAVING TO WRITE NINJUTSU STUFF IS GONNA BE HARD AF! Therefore, **this story will only have ROMANCE ❤️️ and DRAMA 💔** (& barely or hardly any action scenes). ( **3** ) The LOVE development starts around Chapter 5 (But don't skip chapters... You might not understand the story line...)! ( **4** ) I guess I'll also add this - My stories/fanfics are heavily influenced by Thai, Korean, and Chinese movies/tv/dramas, manhwa's (Korean webtoons/manga), and manhua's (Chinese webtoons/manga). Soooo be prepared for Romance, Drama, some Humor, some sort of Poetic life lessons, some Adventure, Angst-y stuff, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, and _maybe_ even Tragedy ( _I'm not 100% sure on that yet though_ ).

 **Reading Guide** : This story will be told in third person point of view ( _he, she, they_ ), but may also include first person point of view "narrations" ( _I_ ) from our main character (Samui). That can be annoying, so I will distinguish it in brackets with italic font, i.e. _[iambabygg]_.

Ellipses ... indicates a change of time or scene.

Words in parenthesis (iambabygg _)_ indicates _my_ in-text notes.

Single quotation marks 'iambabygg' will be used to indicate a person's unspoken thoughts (kinda like a soliloquy).

* * *

 **Main Characters:**

Samui, 21, second princess in the Cloud Village

Tobirama, 31, second prince in the Leaf Village

Mabui, 26, first princess in the Cloud Village

Karui, 17, Samui's maid and best friend

Kakashi, 31, samurai, Tobirama's right hand man

Hashirama, 35, shogun in the Leaf Village (originally first prince in the Leaf Village – promoted to be the shogun after his father died)

A, 47, shogun in the Cloud Village, Samui and Mabui's father

Darui, 26, samurai, Cloud Village's shogun's right hand man

 _*Note – other "side" characters will or will not be promptly introduced in their designated chapter of appearance._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Two Princesses in the Cloud Village**

"Hya! Hya!" A group of men, armored with bow and arrows, commanded their horses to speed up as they chased after their prey. The frightened deer runs for its life, but unfortunately stopped its tracks when a sudden arrow punctures its neck. The wounded animal falls to the ground, struggling to survive. After a good minute or so, it laid stiff. A fair-skinned man with white, shaggy hair and three red markings on his face (one under each of his eyes and one on his chin) dressed in blue armor with a distinctive white, fur collar over a simple black suit draws his weapon away and commands his servants to go retrieve the dead animal as he heads back to base.

"Nice catch, Tobirama," complimented a tall man with tan skin and dark eyes, sitting behind a table sipping hot tea.

"Thank you, ani," the younger brother replied back, as he got off his horse to come sit with him.

The older brother pours him a cup of tea. "I want you to take an expedition to the Cloud Village. I want you to personally deliver a message to the shogun of that country."

"Yes, ani," he firmly replies.

...

"Samui! Get down from there right now!" softly demanded a darker skin girl with light grey hair, lavishly dressed in a floral furisode kimono, as she patiently waits for her younger sister to get down from the tall fruit tree.

"Ehh?! Mabui-nee! But I haven't gotten enough fruits yet!" the girl, high up in the tree, disappointingly yelled back. She has blonde hair, fair skin, and was plainly dressed in a black, sleeveless kimono held closed with a white obi (sash).

The older sister gave her a look that said "you better come down, or else". The younger sister awkwardly smiled and obeyed. Once she got low enough, she jumped straight down, expecting a perfect landing. Unfortunately she miscalculated the elevation of the ground, making her fall on her butt.

"Ouch!" she cried out, while rubbing her behind.

"Tsk tsk tsk," the older sister shook her head, predicting that exact outcome. Mabui helps her mischievous sibling up. "Samui! You are not a kid anymore. You are a princess. You cannot keep acting like this."

"But Mabui-nee! I just wanted to pick out these fruits for you and father," she replied, while holding onto the fruit basket.

"You should have just asked the servants to pick it for you."

"Eh?! No! I wanted to pick it up myself, so it'll be more special hehe."

Mabui sighs at the silly younger sister. "Alright, fine. But next time, don't do it again, alright?" Samui smiles and puts up an 'ok' sign. "Let's go get ready for dinner." The two girls left the garden and headed to the formal dining room.

...

"Samui! Why is your face so dirty?" asked a masculine, dark skin, older man, sitting at the front of the dining table.

Samui wiped her cheek and notices a smeared dirt. "Aha! I was climbing a tree earlier. I must have accidentally wiped my face with a dirty hand."

The man sighs. "Samui, dear, you are a grown woman now. You need to take better care of yourself and be more ladylike."

"But father-"

"Samui. I want you to act like how you're supposed to from now on." She looked at him weird. "Starting tomorrow, you will be taught manners and etiquette's that you should have been already mastered in."

"Eh?"

"We will be having an important guest from the Leaf Village, and I certainly don't want you to embarrass yourself or our family. Therefore, you better be on your best behavior and learn as quickly as possible."

Samui pouted at the thought of it. She had never been trained in etiquette's before, unlike her older sister, because she was a spoiled tomboy. She doesn't know any proper ladylike manners, cooking, or any feminine duties. Samui had always been the wild and carefree daughter, finding excuses to freely run around and play outside ever since she was a kid.

...

It was an early morning, and the roosters were barely crowing. Samui was awoken by constant knocking at her front door. "Princess Samui, it's time to wake up," called out a red hair, dark skin maid, while standing outside by the princess's room. "Princess Samui!"

"Go away, Karui!" she yelled back.

"Princess! Your father ordered you to get up!"

"No!~ I'm too tired!" Samui covers her ears, attempting to go back to sleep. It was impossible though, due to Karui's constant knocking. Suddenly, her door swung opened. The sleepy girl turned around to see who her guest was. She sighed and frowned. "Gosh! Who wakes up this early anyways?!"

"Apparently _you_ will have to from now on," Mabui teased. Samui pouted and pats her cheeks, forcing herself to get out of her comfy, warm bed. She quickly gets ready and goes to the study room, where her new teacher was waiting for her.

Samui goes inside and sees a corpulent woman with dark brown hair. She had heavy makeup on: pink lips, pink nails and purple eyeshadows. The older woman got up from her seat and circles around Samui, quietly evaluating her. "I am Madam Shijimi. I was told to teach you proper etiquette and manners."

"Yawn… Umm, okayyyy," Samui sluggishly replies while confusingly looking at her, thinking to herself 'why is this lady checking me out?'

"That should have been 'Yes, ma'am,'" the woman corrected her. She pushes Samui's body upright.

"Ey! What the hell-"

"An ideal lady should be graceful and elegant, so she can stand tall and proud. Don't hunch and stand upright. But first of all, look at the way how you are dressed! No, no, no! Absolutely unacceptable," she said, while shaking her head and finger.

Samui scrunches her nose and looks down at her wardrobe. It was her typical attire (a short, sleeveless kimono and shorts) that she was comfortable in.

"A proper lady should always be dressed to impress. Maids!" Madam Shijimi called out for the maids waiting outside the door. "Prepare a bath for Princess Samui. We have lots of work to do."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Madam Shijimi gestures Samui to head to the bath house. "Eh? But I don't usually bathe till night time." Madam Shijimi disregarded her comment and drags her to the bath house. "M-Madam Shijimi!" The teacher helps strip off Samui's clothes and pushes Samui into the tub. It was refreshingly warm and filled with flower petals, something Samui had never tried before. It was very aromatic and relaxing. Then, a group of maids entered the private bathroom, while holding onto baskets full of varieties of soaps, towels, and scrubs.

"A lady, especially someone of high rank like yourself, princess, should always be clean and follow proper hygiene. Therefore, these maids will help scrub your body until you are cleaned from head to toe."

"Huh! Are you crazy?!" The maids walked up to her and started scrubbing her arms, back, and legs. "Ahh! This is so embarrassing!" Despite the uncomfortable pampering, Samui couldn't deny the fact that it felt amazing to have a cleaned body. After the long bath, she was transported back to her room, where a beauty team was already setting up various cosmetics and outfits prepared for her. Her eyes blinked in disbelief. It was way too excessive.

"A proper lady should look and feel beautiful. She must look her best at all times."

The maids dragged Samui to sit on a chair as they worked their magic on her. They styled her hair in an elaborate bun, decorated with a matching kushi kanzashi (comb) and kogai (hair pin), applied heavy makeup (consisting of bright red lips, dark brows, and voluminous lashes) and dressed her in a floral furisode kimono. Samui was very uncomfortable with her attire. She wiggles on the delicate silky cloth, trying to make it looser.

"Princess Samui, that's improper!" Madam Shijimi shouted.

"Tsk! But they made it too damn tight," she argues back. Madam Shijimi gave her 'the look', immediately shutting her up. She didn't want to listen to the teacher lecture her again about 'lady' this or that.

…

When they went back to the study room, Madam Shijimi stacked various textbooks on her desk. "It is important for a lady to have both beauty and brains. Take a seat. I will be teaching you history, language, grammar and vocabulary, along with various arts such as music, dance, musical instruments, calligraphy blah blah blah..." Samui's jaw dropped. If there was one thing Samui hated, that would be learning. She slumps into the seat, making Madam Shijimi yell at her. She curled her lips, making the strict teacher yell at her again.

After a few hours, the maids brought in their lunch. Samui was excited to finally take a break from all the learning. She was about to dig in, but Madam Shijimi immediately stopped her.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Another important aspect of behaving like a lady is executing proper dining etiquette. This includes properly using all of the different utensils, knowing when to start eating, how to act..."

Samui slouched down on her desk and loudly sighs. 'You've got to be kidding me!'


	2. Clash! Meeting Mr Arrogant

**Chapter 2: Clash! Meeting Mr. Arrogant!**

The young princess was exhausted! Samui's daily routine for the last few weeks consisted of – waking up at the crack of dawn, bathing, getting dolled up, and followed by vigorous different types of lessons after lessons. She hated being cooped all day long inside the study room with the strict and unbearable Madam Shijimi.

While Madam Shijimi was lecturing, Samui blankly stared out the window, admiring the freedom of the birds as they flew high in the sky. "So, as a review, who stood victorious after the Warring States Period ended?" There was no answer. "Princess Samui?" Madam Shijimi looked over and saw that Samui was completely zoned out. Frustrated, the teacher immediately closed the blinds shut, startling Samui.

"W-What?" The frustrated teacher deeply inhaled and exhaled, trying hard to calm herself down. She was amazed at how unfocused her student was. Samui was able to grasp the situation, so she suddenly thought of a plan. "Madam Shijimi, why don't you go take a break for a while? You've been lecturing all day today. I want to do some 'self' study for now. I think I'll be able to learn better."

The teacher pursed her lips. 'A break definitely sounds like a good idea. But what intentions does this child actually have?' Samui widely smiled, reassuring her teacher that she had no bad intentions to her kind gesture. "All right then. I will allow you some alone time for the next few hours. But by the time I come back, I will be quizzing you. So be prepared for punishment if you do not pass, understand?" The princess happily nodded and kindly showed her teacher out the room.

"Hooray!~" Samui silently cheered to herself. She peeked out the door and whistled for Karui. The maid saw that Samui was excitedly gesturing her to come to her, so she obeyed.

"What is it, princess?" Samui pulled her inside the study room and quickly closed the door shut.

"Take off your kimono."

"EHH!" The maid gave her master a confused look. She saw that Samui had a wide, devilish grin on her face. Karui quickly shook her head and was about to run out the door. Unfortunately, Samui quickly grabbed onto her hand and successfully stripped her kimono off.

…

"Wahhh! If the master finds out, he'll be so furious!" Karui cried.

Samui chuckled and tightens her 'new' outer kimono and obi around her waist. "Stop being such a crybaby, Karui! No one's going to come here. I already got permission from Madam Shijimi for some alone time. Just make sure you don't turn around and act like you're me – being the perfect student, studying. Hehehe!" (Did ya perverts thought there were some NSFW scenes going on?! LOL! 😂 Nope! Samui just forced Karui to swap kimonos with her.)

"I am sooooo gonna get fired!" Karui continued to cry. Samui pinched her beloved maid's cheeks and told her to quiet down. She opened the window and looked around for guards. There were none, so she quietly sneaked out.

…

Samui, who was now disguised as a regular maid, sneaked out the castle and headed to the local market. Ever since she was a child, she had always loved sneaking into the lively markets for its various entertainment and delicious aromatic foods. She searched in Karui's coin pocket and found some coins. 'Hehehe, allow me to borrow your money for the time being, my dear friend.' She went to various food stalls and drooled at the delicious foods. "I'll take five yakitori (chicken skewers)!" She traveled to each food stalls and ate almost each type of foods. Finally, as she was down to her last few coins, she spotted a kakigori (shaved ice) stall. She galloped to the merchant and ordered her favorite strawberry kakigori. As she was savoring every bite of the delicious shaved ice, she unexpectedly bumped into something. "Ouch!" She stepped back and notices that her dessert was spilled all over the ground. "GASP!" She slowly traced the pink ice (from downwards up) and sees that it was also spilled on _someone_. "NO! My kakigori!" Samui cried! She immediately glared at the person who _ate_ her dessert. (Get it? The person's clothes _ate_ her dessert, because it was spilled on that person's clothes! LOL! No? Not funny? Whateva then.) When she finally laid eyes on the 'culprit', she saw that he was also glaring back at her. "Oi! You ruined my kakigori! Apologize right now!" she demanded.

The taller man's eyes twitched. He was pissed off that he was being talked down upon, when in fact, _she_ was the one who clumsily bumped into him. He calmly pulled a handkerchief out from his pocket and wiped the pink dessert off from his blue armor. "What an ill-mannered child."

"Who the hell do you think you are! I said apologize!"

"Why should I, when it was _you_ who bumped into me. Plus, you even ruined my clothes. The one who should be apologizing is you, kid."

"Ahhh! What a jerk!" She throws the cup of dessert at him, but he easily dodges it. They both gave each other the 'death stare'. They were both ready to throw it down (slang for "fight")! Fortunately, a man with spikey, silver hair and a distinct mask, pulled him away and quickly apologized to her. "Hmph! At least there's still decent _men_ out there!"

Again, the man was furious! He had never been so insulted by a woman before. He stepped up to her face and was about to yell back at her, but his friend quickly stopped him again. "I'm very sorry, missy. Please, can we just drop this little argument and go our separate ways? We have a lot of business to attend to." He kindly handed Samui a bag of coins. "As an apology, here's some money to compensate for your dessert."

Samui pouted and curled her lips. She notices that it was time for her to go back, so she gladly took the money bag. "Fine. Because I like you, masked guy, I'll gladly go now. But! If I ever see _you_ again, I won't let it slide so easily."

Once Samui was far enough, the friend chuckled at his angered friend. "Prince Tobirama, should go now?"

"Sigh. Yeah. I hope I won't get to see that annoying kid anymore."

…

"I'm back~ You can leave now, Karui~" Samui said, while closing the window.

"Welcome back, Princess Samui." Samui gasped and froze in fear. She was surprised to hear that dull voice. She immediately turned around and sees Darui, the tall, dark-skinned man who was her father's personal bodyguard and right hand man.

She forced a wide grin and merrily went up to hug him. "Darui-niisan! Since when did you come back from your trip? How was it? Did you have fun?"

"Sigh. It was dull... Anyways, don't try to change the subject."

'Crap.'

"Hurry up and change back to your outfit. You are to meet with your father immediately."

"No! Darui! You can't take me to father! Did he already found out?! Ahhh! I'm soooo gonna get in trouble! I won't go! No, not at all. No!"

"Sigh. Don't worry. I didn't tell anyone yet."

"Eh?"

"Hurry up before I change my mind."

"Kyaa! Darui-niisan! You are the best!"

…

After Samui got beautifully dressed up, Darui assisted Samui to the guest room. According to Madam Shijimi, she was taught to have her head slightly bent down. She can only raise her head after bowing down and greeting her VIP guests (I don't know if that is real for 'princess' manners or not, I might have just made that up). "Ah, Samui, come here and greet the second prince from the Leaf Village, Prince Tobirama, and his companion, Kakashi."

Samui humbly obliged to her father's orders. After bowing down to the guests, she raised her head up to see the prince. Samui and Tobirama both gasped! She was surprised to see the same arrogant man she had just encountered at the market. "What the fuck! Why the hell are you here?!" she instantly yelled.

"Samui! That is no way to speak to our honorable guests! Apologize to him this instant!" A demanded.

"But father! This man is a jerk! He ruined my kakigori!"

A gave his daughter a confused look. "Kakigori? Where did you get that? Weren't you in your room studying this whole time?"

Samui's mouth dropped. She knew she messed up! "Uh, uh…"

Tobirama started chuckling. "Little kids should just keep their mouths shut."

"Eh?! What was that, OSSAN?!" Tobirama instantly stood up and glared at her. A got so furious with Samui, that he knuckled her on the head, forcing her to immediately kneel down and apologize. "No!"

"Why you little-" A was about to smack some sense into his bratty daughter, but suddenly stopped when Mabui entered the room.

"What is all this ruckus, father?"

Tobirama turned around and saw the beautiful and elegant Mabui. He was completely mesmerized by her soft and serene aura. Mabui was like an angel, in contra to her devilish little sister.

To be continued… ❤️️


	3. The Proposal

**Chapter 3: The Proposal**

"What is all this ruckus, father?" Mabui asked, while entering the guest room. She glanced around and saw the guests. She gently smiled to them and bowed down, warmly greeting them. "You gentlemen must be from the Leaf? It's a pleasure to meet you." Tobirama was completely mesmerized by the soft spoken beauty. After explaining the altercation to the elder princess, she calmly smiled and went up to Samui. "You owe this gentleman an apology, Samui."

"Eh?! But-" Mabui shook her head, gesturing her little sister to apologize. Samui had no choice now. She sighed and unapologetically said "Sorry." Mabui pinched Samui's arm. "Ouch! Ok! Ok!" She went up to Tobirama, but refused to face him. "Please accept my apology."

"If you really mean it, then bow down too."

"Eh?! What the fuck did you say!"

"Samui!" A yelled. She didn't want any more trouble, so she did as requested.

"Good girl," Tobirama teased. Samui was fuming with rage! She was about to snap at him again, but Darui quickly detained her.

"Prince Tobirama, please excuse my younger sister for her rash actions and behavior."

He smiled to the elder princess's plea. "Of course. No worries."

…

Darui assisted Samui back to her study room and locked her inside. "Darui! Let me out!" she demanded, while banging onto the doors.

"Sorry, princess. No can do. Your father said you are to stay and sleep in there tonight and finish your studies. As punishment, you will not be allowed to come out until further notice."

"Darui! You suck! And here I was, rooting for you too!"

"I'm sorry." Darui ordered the maids and guards to keep a close eye on Samui and left.

Samui slumped down onto her chair and slapped her hand on the desk. "Ugh! That _ossan_ ("old man" – Samui is referring to Tobirama)! I hate him!"

…

The two Leaf guests continued staying at the castle for the next few days, accompanied by the shogun and his older daughter. Tobirama had really taken a liking to Mabui. She was the perfect woman and wife-material. She had such a pleasant and serene aura, perfectly embodying an angel. Tobirama had never been so captivated by any woman before. (That was practically the reason why he remain unwed till now.) He appreciated the fact that she was a very humble person, who knew her duties of being a _woman_.

…

As it was getting darker, Madam Shijimi got tired from lecturing Samui, so she was slowly dozing off. Samui notices her tired teacher. 'Hehehe, perfect!' She waited for her teacher to be completely asleep before she can try to break out from the study room. Finally, after half an hour, she attempted to break free. She stole the key from Madam Shijimi's pocket and unlocked the door. She sneakily crept out from the long hall and made her way to the maid's chamber. "Karui! Karui!"

Karui notices Samui and screamed. "Princess! What are you doing here! You should be-" Samui immediately covered her loud friend's mouth.

"Shh! Idiot! Someone's going to find out!"

"Don't tell me you're going to sneak out the castle again!" Samui nodded and winked. "No! Absolutely not! Do you know what time it is already! No, no, no! It's too dangerous!"

"Pft! If you're that worried for me, then do you want to come with me?"

"Eh?"

Samui smirked. "It's already late. I'm sure you're not working anymore tonight, right?" Karui looked over to her troublesome friend. That did sound pretty convincing. Plus, it would be nice to spend time outside the castle. After changing into one of Karui's spare clothes, the two girls sneaked out the castle and headed to the market.

…

The two was in awe of the night lights (lanterns, in this case). The market was still just as lively as it was it the morning. Barbeque smokes filled the air, many people were enjoying sake and each other's company.

"Hey, let's eat and drink!"

"Eh? No, princess! We can't do that!"

Samui didn't care to listen to her maid. She went to one of the food stalls and sat at the table, ordering various plates of food and alcohol. 'Whoa!' They both drooled at the sight of their foods. "Kanpai!" They both clinked cups and enjoyed their late night meal.

…

Karui was completely drunk, so Samui had to help carry her back home. "Karui! You idiot!" As they were passing through the garden, they spotted Tobirama and her father. She didn't know why, but her instincts just told her to spy on them, so she did. She hid in the bushes and observed them from afar.

"I've really been enjoying my time here in your country, sir."

"Heh, thank you, lad. But what is it that you wanted to say?"

"You are as keen as ever, sir." Tobirama handed the shogun a letter. He opened it and read it. "Our real purpose of coming here is to offer you a proposal."

"Alliance of the two countries through marriage, eh?"

"Yes."

A chuckled. "Of all the other shoguns in the other countries, I respect Hashirama the most." He looked over to Tobirama and smiled. "I noticed that you've taken a liking to my eldest daughter. If you don't mind, I will gladly offer you my Mabui." Tobirama bowed down and thanked the shogun. "Hahaha, I'm happy that you're happy."

Samui was so surprised! She was furious! She could not believe it that her father was willing to easily give Mabui away like that! There was no way that she was going to allow that! She quickly dropped off Karui back to her room and ran to find Mabui.

…

"My lord, what is it that made you so happy this late at night?" Darui asked his master, as they were walking back to the shogun's sleeping quarters.

"Mabui is my most prized jewel, but she's already way overdue. After various unsuccessful arrange marriages, her time has now come."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"The success of this country's future will now lie in her hands…"

"Eh?"

…

"Mabui-nee! Mabui-nee!" When Samui arrived to Mabui's private quarters, she saw a man and woman's silhouette through the shoji-style windows. Samui could vaguely hear her sister crying. The woman's silhouette drew close to the man and desperately hugged onto him. The man slowly turned around and embraced her.

…

 _Here's the first person point-of-view narration from our main character, Samui:_

 _[It appeared that the news had already reached Mabui-nee – from her lover, Darui. I sadly watched as my sister cried in Darui's embrace. It pained me to know that the two people who I admired very dearly will never get to be together. It was unfair, because they have loved and yearned for each other for so long. The reason why Mabui-nee rejected all her previous arrange marriages was because she was patiently waiting for Darui to claim her heart and soul. But Darui was never able to, because they knew that they would have deeply angered Father._

 _A few days passed by, and the arrogant ossan had finally went back to his country. He and Father had made an agreement, that once Mabui-nee and the dowry was ready, she will then be delivered to their country in exactly one week. Unfortunately, we all knew that there was no escaping this arrange marriage like how Mabui-nee dodged the previous ones. Father was set in stone on offering Mabui-nee to the Leaf._

 _Despite her soft and sweet smile in front of Father and others, I could tell that Mabui-nee was completely heartbroken and crying on the inside. I wanted to do something, anything, as long as I can stop this marriage.]_

To be continued… ❤️️


	4. Surprises & Disappointments

**Chapter 4: Surprises & Disappointments**

 _"I wanted to do something, anything, as long as I can stop this marriage."_

 _…_

The wedding time was quickly creeping in. There was only one day left, before the Cloud would deliver their beloved princess to the Leaf Village. Mabui was sitting alone at her favorite swing in the garden, quietly reminiscing about her past – and the heartbreaking future of not being able to be with the love of her life. As Samui was on her way to the study room, she spotted Darui painfully observing Mabui from afar.

…

As it was getting darker, Samui was finally dismissed from her studies. She walked to Mabui's room and gently knocked on her door. "May I come in, Mabui-nee?"

"Please do." Samui opened herself in and sees Mabui combing her soft grey hair in front of her dresser. "It's so late already. You're not sleeping yet?"

"No. Why aren't you sleeping yet either?" Mabui gently smiled and continued combing the same strand of hair, over and over again. Samui could tell that her sister was definitely out of focus. She sighed and hugged Mabui.

"Samui?"

"I really don't want you to leave me… If you really must, I at least want you to be happy."

"But I am happy…"

"Bullshit!" Samui lets go of Mabui and turned her around to face her. "Mabui-nee, you are the person I hold dearest to me! Why didn't you and Darui tell father-"

"Samui! Stop." Mabui forced a smile and hugged her sister. "I've already made up my mind. Plus… It's too late for that."

Samui lets go of her. "No, it's not too late."

"W-What do you mean?"

Samui smiled, as tears ran down her cheeks. "Darui is patiently waiting for you at the garden. If you are willing to, then pack your items, and run away with him."

"Samui! T-That's impossible! I-I can't do that!"

"Mabui-nee, all my life, I have never seen you so heartbroken before. You and Darui are soulmates. I know that you will never be happy for the rest of your life if you two are not together. So… I met up with Darui earlier and I am willing to help you guys escape together."

"S-Samui. You can't do that. If father finds out, he will surely kill all of us."

"You once told me, that there is only one happiness in this life – 'to love and be loved', right? Your happiness is patiently waiting for you. Don't let this opportunity slide away. You will regret it for the rest of your life."

…

Samui helped sneaked Mabui to the garden. Once they arrived, the two lovebirds passionately embraced each other. They looked over to Samui and smiled.

"Go. Don't worry about me."

Mabui cried and hugged her sister one last time. "Thank you, Samui. Please take good care of yourself."

"I will. You guys be careful too."

Once the three said their final goodbyes, Samui quickly sneaked back into Mabui's room. She swapped into Mabui's pajama kimono and crawled into her sister's bed, disguising herself as the older princess.

…

"Princess Mabui. It is time for you to get ready," the maids called. "Princess Mabui?" The maids opened the door and went to wake up their princess. "Princess?" As they turned her around, they all screamed, instantly waking Samui up.

"Ugh, let me sleep for a little longer."

"P-Princess Samui?! Why are you here?! Where is Princess Mabui?!"

…

Samui was dragged out of bed and kneeled down in front of her furious father. "You foolish kids! What have you done?!" Samui didn't respond. She was ready to receive her punishment. Angered, the shogun ordered his guards to come whip Samui. "Until she speaks, do not stop!"

"Y-Yes sir!" The guards grabbed their whips and immediately started whipping Samui. Suddenly, Karui jumped in and shielded the princess.

"Karui! What are you doing! Go away" Samui yelled.

"Please, my lord! I beg you! Do not punish the princess! I'm sure she doesn't know anything!"

"Shut it! Continue!"

"Yes sir!" The guards continued to mercilessly whip the two girls. Samui tried to move her friend away, but Karui tightly held onto Samui, shielding her from getting whip. Samui cried and begged Karui to go away, but the maid still refused. After a few more whippings, A finally ordered the guards to stop. The two girls dropped down to the ground. Samui had never felt so bad before. She cried and wiped her friend's tears away. All she could do was apologize over and over again to her injured friend. Despite being heavily injured, Karui was still able to lift a smile. She was glad that Samui was not as heavily wounded as she was. Soon, Karui fainted.

(Does feudal Japan punish people like this? I know for a fact ancient China and Thailand does. Sorry, like I said, I don't really know much about feudal Japan, so I based this off from historical Chinese and Thai movies/tv/dramas only.)

…

When Karui woke up, she noticed that she was laying on her belly in her room. She saw that Samui was applying ointment on her back. "P-Princess? Why are you here? Ouch!"

"Sigh. Just lay down, baka." After applying the ointment, she bandaged Karui's back and washed her hands. "T-Thank you, Karui. I really don't know how to thank you enough for helping me back there. I'm so sorry about-"

Karui shook her head. "It's okay, princess. I will gladly help you from any harm. It is my duty to protect you."

"You really are an idiot, Karui."

…

"W-What did you say?" Samui couldn't believe what she was hearing as she kneeled in front of her father. He had just ordered Samui to replace Mabui and head to the Leaf, because she will be the bride for Tobirama. "I refuse!"

"Ha! You are in no position to refuse! It is _your fault_ for letting your sister escape!"

"N-No! I'd rather get any other type of punishment than this!"

"Hush up, you foolish child! You will depart first thing tomorrow morning! Guards, lock her away and make sure she won't be able to escape."

"Yes sir!"

"Please father! Don't do this!" Samui yelled and begged her father to reconsider, but A turned a blind eye to the situation. He was upset at himself for having to do this, but he knew that this was for the best.

…

As morning arrived, the maids packed Samui's items and stored it in her carriage, along with the other dowry items. Karui peeked inside the carriage and saw that the princess's eyes were red and puffy from all the crying last night. She wanted to cheer her friend up, so she gently held onto her hand and smiled to her. Samui was too gloomy that she didn't care about anything. The shogun walked up to the person in charge of delivering Samui (B) and handed him a scroll.

"Take good care of her, alright?"

"Yes, brother."

"You better make sure she doesn't run away or do anything stupid too, got it?"

"Okay, brother."

A sighed and went up to Samui. "I'm sorry that you have to do this, Samui. But this is all for the sake of the country. Up until now, you've been under my care. But from now on, you will be under the Leaf's care. Fulfill your duty well. Serve your future husband with upmost respect. Be courteous, humble, and conciliatory towards your future husband. I wish I can be there with you, but I can't. I hope to only hear good news upon B's return. Goodbye, my dear." After hearing her father's last request, Samui closed her eyes and shun the world away.

…

It took a total of four days and three nights to reach the Leaf Village. "Make way, for the princess from the Cloud!" They made their way through the city and finally arrive at the large gates of the shogun's castle. Once they got inside, they were directed to the formal reception room where the shogun was awaiting their attendance. Hashirama was present with his first lady, Mito, alongside Tobirama and Kakashi.

B and Samui went up to the shogun and bowed down. After B introduced himself, Samui took off her uchikatsugi (long veiled headdress) and introduced herself. Tobirama's eyes widen! He was surprised to see Samui instead of Mabui.

"What is this supposed to mean?!" Tobirama demanded an answer from the Cloud representative.

"Uh, please forgive us, my friend." B handed Hashirama a scroll. After reading the letter of apology, Hashirama humbly laughed.

"What is so funny, ani?!" Tobirama took the scroll and quickly read it. Tobirama was furious! He had never felt so betrayed and offended before. B was startled, so he quickly apologized and begged the prince to calm down.

"Tobi! It's okay. We will gladly accept the younger sister."

"Hell no, ani! I'm not going to marry that brat!"

Frustrated with Tobirama's rude remarks, Samui stomped her foot and rolled her arm sleeves. "You damn, ossan! You think I would want to marry someone like you too! If I wasn't forced into this, I would have never come to your country!" B immediately held her back, while Kakashi held Tobirama back. Hashirama hysterically laughed. He was amused at the lively quarrel. His wife nudges his shoulder and pouted, gesturing him to stop them.

"Okay guys! Stop it! Stop it right now!" he demanded. After a while, the two opposing parties finally quieted down. "Tobirama, I don't know what had happened between you two, and I don't want to know. All I know, is that the Cloud's shogun was diligent enough to fulfill his agreement. Therefore, we will gladly accept Princess Samui under our care."

"Ani!"

"I will NOT accept any refusals!" Hashirama did not care for Tobirama's petty excuses and opinions. "The princess had travel all the way over here to fulfill her duty. Consider your future bride's feelings and honor!"

"Tsk!" The arrogant younger brother turned around and stormed off. His bodyguard apologized for his master's ill manners and quickly followed behind.

Hashirama went up to Samui and widely smiled to her. "Thank you for traveling all the way here, Princess Samui. You must be tired?"

Samui was amazed at how warm and friendly the shogun was, in contra to his arrogant younger brother. "Uh, n-no, not really." Hashirama assigned some guards to direct his guests to their rooms to rest and assured them of their hospitality and welcome towards them.

…

After resting for a bit, Samui headed to the private bath house. She sat and stare blankly into space while Karui helped scrubbed her back.

"Princess, are you alright? You look a little distracted."

"Sigh. I'm really worried about Mabui-nee and Darui. It's been five days already. I wonder how they're doing."

"Please rest assure, milady. Princess Mabui has the mighty Darui protecting her already."

"Hm, well, you're right…" Samui went first to soak in the warm water. "Ahh~" It was the perfect temperature to soothe her tense body. "Sigh. Why did my life turn out like this? To think about it, I actually really envy Mabui-nee."

"Eh? Princess? Why would you say that?" Karui asked, while joining the princess inside the hot spring-style bath.

"Sigh! How stupid of me, right? I've taken this 'princess' life for granted." Karui looked over to her friend with a confused expression. "All my life, I've been the mischievous, spoiled brat who would do anything in order to get my way. All I've done was annoy father and everyone around me. Aha. I had everything – money, freedom, a loving family, and people to order around. It's sad to know that I won't have that privilege anymore… No matter how I see it, my only purpose here is to maintain the alliance and trust between our two countries… So this is the burden that princesses have to carry, huh?"

"Princess…"

Despite the depressing realization, Samui lifted a smile on her face. "Don't worry, Karui. I promise I won't do anything to upset father or my country. This is the least I can do, in order to repay the luxurious life I've lived while under father's care."

Karui had tears in her eyes. "Milady! Since when did you mature so much!" She jumped towards Samui and hugged her. "I promise to never leave your side and help you fulfill your duty too!"

"B-Baka!" The two girls giggled and continued to bathe in the fresh water for a while before heading back to their room.

…

By dinner time, the Cloud guests were called back to the reception room. They were all individually served with an elaborate kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese dinner) feast while being entertained by various dance and musical performances.

Hashirama looked around and notices that Tobirama was nowhere to be seen. "Where is the second prince? How could he not be here to dine and celebrate with the princess?" He ordered a few guards to search for Tobirama, but he was nowhere near the castle. "Sigh."

To be continued… ❤️️


	5. Wedding Night

**A/N** : If you watch historical Asian TV dramas (Korean, Thai, Chinese, etc.), you'd notice that there's _always_ a bad guy trying to overthrow the government/royal family. Hahaha, well, in this story, yep, it will have that one bad villain too. Can you guess who it will be? Hehehe. You'll have to read to find out! Also, there's _always_ gotta have a female villain in the story too. Hehehe. Get ready to see her soon!

 **🚫🚫🚫 Warning** : The reason why I rated this story as 'T' will be specifically because of this chapter! There will be a tiny scene that _may_ _or may not_ be considered a little bit **NSFW** (Not Safe For Work)! So be prepared to skip pass it if you are sensitive to minor suggestive adult themes! ***I will distinguish it with the line markers and warn you guys beforehand when you reach it!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Wedding Night**

The shogun entered his brother's private quarters and sees Tobirama looking through some scrolls. "Tobirama, where have you been all night? Why didn't you join the Cloud's celebratory ceremony yesterday?"

Tobirama greets his older brother before putting the scrolls away. "Sorry ani. I had some business to attend to."

"Huh?! What can be more important than- Ugh... Forget it..." Hashirama sighed. He wanted Tobirama to accept his future bride already, so he quickly thought of a plan. Tobirama gave his older brother a suspicious look. He didn't know why Hashirama was smirking all of a sudden. Hashirama snapped his fingers. "I just remembered! As a customary tradition, you are required to accompany your future bride before the wedding."

"What? I never heard of-"

"Ahem!" Hashirama quickly distracted him. "Therefore, you will accompany Princess Samui around town today. No exceptions." Tobirama furrowed his eyebrows. "Go get her and make sure to take good care of her. Also, don't worry about coming back so late. Hehehe."

…

Samui was excited to explore the town today. The Leaf maids dressed her in an elegant furisode kimono and decorated her hair and makeup. She was amazed at how flamboyant she looked.

"Oh my! You look absolutely beautiful!" Karui complemented.

Samui puckered her lips and blushed. "Oh, gosh! Stop it! Ahahaha!"

"Prince Tobirama is going to be so pleased and allured~" Karui teased.

"Tch! Ew!" Samui was unamused at the thought of that. She was slightly irritated. Karui giggled and quickly apologized. "Anyways, where is that ossan? How long is he going to make me wait for him?" Samui peeked out the doors and looked around the corridors for Tobirama, but he was nowhere to be seen. After a few more minutes of waiting, someone knocked on their door. Karui slides the door opened and was surprised to see Kakashi instead of Tobirama.

"Greetings, Princess." Kakashi told them that his boss was unable to accompany them today, so he was ordered to go in Tobirama's place instead.

"Ahh, that's even better! Hehehe! I didn't want to spend time with that boring ossan anyways. Let's go then!"

…

Samui merrily walked through the markets, curiously checking out the various food delicacy and exotic arts and merchandise. She was very entertained by the lively street performers and the Leaf's fashion. She was too busy to notice, but many people gazed at Samui in astonishment. They were amazed at how beautiful the Cloud princess is. They came across a takoyaki stand. The delicious aromatic smell was making Samui drool. She anxiously waits for the food. Once she got it, she quickly bites onto it, making the hot snack burn her mouth. "OhhHHhh! So hot!" She fans her mouth and blows the hot steam out, while still keeping the takoyaki inside her mouth. Someone chuckled and handed Samui a cold drink. She turned and saw an older fair-skinned man with long, spiky black hair. "Hm?"

"Greetings, Lord Madara." After greeting the daimyo, Kakashi introduced Madara to Samui. She took the drink and thanked him.

"Aha, you're welcome. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, princess. You are even more beautiful in person than the rumors. Tobirama is a very lucky man." Samui awkwardly chuckles. It felt weird to be flattered, since she had never really been complemented before due to her previous tomboyish looks and behavior. "How is your father? I'm sure he's doing well?"

"Eh? Did you know my father?"

"Of course! We were old companions. Back then, when you were little, I'd visit the Cloud Village all the time and met your old man. He was such a great man." Samui widely grinned. She was happy to hear many great things about her father as the daimyo continued to speak about his past experiences with A. "Well, it was a pleasure speaking with you, princess. But it's getting quite late already. I will be taking my leave now."

"Ah, yes! The pleasure is mine as well." They smiled and bowed to each other before the daimyo walked away with his underlings. After Samui finished her takoyaki and drink, they decided to head back to the castle too. Samui had a wide grin on her face. It was refreshing to have friendly acquaintance with new people. "That Madara guy seems nice! Hehe!"

"Well, he is the shogun's closest and most trusted advisor… Sigh. But you never know what may lurk behind the shadows."

"Hmm? What was that, Kakashi?" Samui looked over to the bodyguard.

"Eh? It's nothing." He just smiled and continued directing them back to the castle.

 _[I thought it was weird. I didn't know why Kakashi would suddenly say that. At that time, I paid no attention to his warning. I regret that I hadn't…]_

…

As the night was drawing near, the streets were now lit with paper lanterns. If you walked further from the markets and into a certain area, you can find the rosy-scented pleasure district. Within the district, stood a specific ageya (high-class Edo-period pleasure house) where you'd find men, accompanied by oirans (courtesan), lively partying the night away. In a certain private room was a man, patiently waiting for his beautiful oiran to enter the room. She is a fairly tall and light skinned woman, with a slender and curvy frame. She has blue eyes, a noticeable beauty-mark under the left side of her lips, and maroon color hair styled with many golden hairpins in an elaborate datehyougo (traditional oiran hairstyle). She was beautifully dressed in layers of rare and extravagant kimono, only of the most exquisite silk. She sat in front of her potential customer and slowly bowed down to greet him once again.

"This is the third time we met, Miss Fuka."

"It is," she calmly replied.

"You made me wait for a very, very long time now."

"I deeply apologize." The man inched closer to her and smelt her fragrant skin. He was completely drawn in by her rosy smell. As he tried to move closer, she abruptly backed away.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he furiously questioned the oiran.

She lifted her kimono sleeves up to her bright red lips and quietly chuckled. "I'm afraid I won't be able to service you tonight, my kind sir." Displeased that he was rejected, the man got up from his seat and lifted his hand. He was about to slap the oiran but suddenly stopped when he heard someone approaching the room. He quietly listens and heard the doors sliding open. He turned around to see the uninvited guests and froze in fear. Once he realized who the guests were, he immediately grabbed his items and left the private room. The guest lifts his hand, gesturing his underlings to leave the room, allowing him some privacy. They immediately obeyed their master. "Tch! I could have gotten it all under control, you know."

The man took off his haori and sat down on the table while helping himself with a cup of sake. "Just because you're a Tayu (the top rank of courtesans), it doesn't mean that you will have all the power to suppress any man."

She smirked and sat next to him. "And what is it that you wanted to speak to me about, my lord?" she flirtatiously purred into his ears.

He chuckled and faced her. "I'm here to tell you about your _competition_."

She frowned. "Competition? Ahahaha! I am the most beautiful and sought after woman in the whole country. You must be blind or stupid to make these type of claims, my lord."

He moved closer to her and leaned over her shoulder, whispering, "Beauty, status - she got it all. I'm not 100% sure on the brains or grace part though… But most importantly, she's still… _pure_." Fuka was fuming with jealousy. Those words definitely provoked her. She glared at the daimyo, making him hysterically laugh out loud. Feeling mocked, Fuka suddenly threw her cup across the room, shattering it into pieces. The daimyo slowly stopped laughing but instead sported a wide, devilish grin. "Haven't I told you before to be a good girl?" She suddenly got chills down her spine. Fuka was a bit frightened by his sudden change of tone.

* * *

*** **WARNING**! 🚫🚫🚫 This upcoming scene doesn't actually have mature content, but it _may or may not_ be on the NSFW side. Please go ahead and skip pass it if you are sensitive to minor suggestive adult themes. Thank you for understanding.

The daimyo got up from his seat and leaned back on the bed. He lifts a finger up, commanding the oiran to come to him. She silently obeyed. "Good girl." Fuka sat in front of him, while he ran the back of his fingertips onto her exposed neckline, admiring her delicate skin. "But yes, indeed. To me, you are still… one of the most beautiful woman…" He leans forward and gently kisses the nape of her neckline, sending a _different_ chill down her spine. She lets out a soft moan to the stimulating pleasure. "You won't refuse service for me too, will you?" She craned her head back and stared desperately into his dark eyes while he smirked back to her with a lecherous gaze. All she could do was give him an inviting smirk, gesturing him to 'continue'. 💋

* * *

…

"The official union of the Leaf and Cloud will finally be taking place today. Please get the prince and princess ready before the scheduled time," Hashirama ordered. The maids bowed to their master and did as directed. All of Samui's trousseau and dowry items was stored away at the newly built bridal chamber while the bride and groom gets ready. Tobirama wore a black montsuki hakama while Samui wore a white kosode kimono and uchikake outer-robe matched with a wataboshi (white floss silk headdress). Tobirama would occasionally peek a few glances at Samui. He was impressed. He couldn't deny it that she looked great. After exchanging cups of sake and vows, the small group of attendees shared a meal together and soon, the wedding ceremony was over.

…

B patted the sad bride's head. "I'm so proud of you, Samui. Thank you for doing this for the sake of your country. I can gladly go back home and share the good news with your father now." Samui had tears in her eyes. She was sad to know that her 'uncle'/mentor and the rest of the Cloud members were leaving (except for Karui).

"When will I ever see you again, B-san?"

"Sigh. Hopefully soon… Wait, hold up- When I say 'soon', I didn't mean that the Leaf was going to kick you out or anything hahaha. Ah, dammit! I'll just shut up now." Samui giggled and hugged B.

"I promise I will not upset father nor our great country. I will fulfill my duty well." B smiled and held a 'thumbs up' to Samui before taking his leave.

"Until next time then! Goodbye! Karui, take good care of the princess!" Samui and Karui waved to the Cloud members as they watched them leave. They were both very sad. Karui smiled to Samui, reassuring the princess that everything will be alright.

…

After the Cloud members have disappeared from view, they finally went back to the castle. Samui entered the bridal chamber for the first time. She was in awe of how beautifully decorated and large the room was. Her curiosity and interests soon died down when she saw Tobirama sitting alone at the chabudai (tables with short legs), quietly drinking the prepared sakes. She noticed that the food was still untouched. She refused to make eye contact with him and walked passed him. "Is the bride not going to join her husband on their first wedding night's dinner?"

Samui sighed. "How can I possibly have an appetite when my life is going down the drain?"

Tobirama chuckled at her mocking remark. "Tch! Isn't that a little bit too harsh?"

She ignored him and grabbed her kimono nightgown and closed off the fusuma (sliding panels that act as doors and walls). "If you peek at me, I'll kill you." He chuckled and continued drinking his sake. After washing off her makeup and removing her hair accessories, Samui went to the sleeping area. She saw that there was only one big futon mattress, and Tobirama was comfortably sitting on the mattress in a slouching position with one of his knee raised and bent. 'There's _no way_ that I'm going to sleep with this man tonight!' She saw that he had a smirk on his face as he continued drinking his sake. She suspected him of planning something indecent, so she went to the closet and found a spare blanket. "Get off. Even though I'm legally your wife now, I refuse to sleep in the same area as you." Tobirama acted like he didn't hear anything. He just continued drinking his alcohol. "Hey! Are you deaf! I said-" as Samui was about to move him, Tobirama suddenly pulled her close to his strong embrace and pinned her down, hovering over her! Samui's eyes widen and froze. They were so close, that she could literally feel his hot breath on her skin. It had such a strong alcoholic smell to it. Samui didn't know why, but she could feel her heart racing rapidly and her face heating up. The two newlyweds continued to gaze deeply into each other's eyes for a good minute or so. After a while, Tobirama hysterically laughed. Seeing the bratty kid blush like a woman was _very_ amusing. Annoyed, Samui pushed him off and backed away. She turned around, quickly hiding her blushing cheeks. 'W-Why the hell am I so hot?!'

Tobirama grabbed the spare blanket, a pillow, and his drink. He continued laughing and headed back to the chabudai. Once he left, Samui quickly shuts the fusuma, completely sealing off the sleeping area from the dining area. She tried to quickly cool herself down, but it was _almost_ impossible. Little did she know, that falling to sleep was even going to be harder.

To be continued… ❤️️


	6. Fiasco

**Chapter 6: Fiasco**

The roosters were barely crowing and the new bride was already awaken. Due of yesterday's little incident, Samui was unable to sleep at all. She quietly made her bed and crept out. She saw that Tobirama was still deep asleep, with tons of empty sake bottles lying around the table. 'Tsk tsk! What a mess.'

She opens the door and sees Karui outside, doing her chores. "Eh? Princess, it is still so early. Why are you up already? Shouldn't you have, you know -wink wink- continued sleeping in your handsome husband's embrace? Hehehe!" Annoyed with Karui's indecent delusions, Samui pinched her maid's arm. "Ouch! Sorry! I was just kidding!"

Samui ordered Karui to prepare a bath for her. Since they were relocated to the bridal chamber, which is a smaller detached castle from the main castle, the newlyweds had to share a smaller bathing area. Samui purposely wanted to bathe as early as possible in order to avoid Tobirama. Plus, it was the perfect timing, since he was still sleeping.

…

"Princess, did you forgot to bring a change of clothes?"

"Ah, you're right."

"No worries. I'll go find some for you." Samui nodded and dipped inside the indoor onsen, while Karui shuts the door, providing her friend some privacy.

It had only been a few minutes, and Samui already heard Karui opening the door again. "That was fast. Hand me a towel, Karui." After Samui received the towel, she slowly got up and wraps it around her curvaceous body. When Samui turned around, she immediately screamed! "KYAAAAAAAA!"

…

"Princess?!" Karui, who was _not_ even at the bathing area yet, along with another nearby maid, Fuen, instantly sprinted to check on the princess. Once they arrived to the bathing area, Karui quickly slides the door opened. The two maid's eyes widen and both their jaws dropped! They witnessed a half-naked Tobirama holding his left arm around Samui's waist while placing his right hand over her mouth. Karui's cheeks blushed bright red. When Samui spotted Karui, she called for her maid to come help her, but all Karui heard were vague mumbles.

"P-Please forgive us for intruding!" The older maid bowed down and dragged Karui along with her and quickly goes outside, shutting the door closed.

"Karui! It's not what it looks like!" Growing tired of being in the arrogant man's embrace, Samui bit Tobirama's hand and shoved him away. "Y-You pervert! How dare you come in here! Why the hell did you do that to me?!"

"Tch! Why can't I? This is my bathroom too. Who told you to scream like that all of a sudden? It was annoying and I didn't want you to cause a ruckus. Plus, why the hell did you even fall, you klutz. You should be thanking me instead."

Samui couldn't believe what she was hearing! 'What an arrogant douchebag!' She quickly got out of the water and called Karui to bring her her clothes.

"Excuse my intrusion. But I heard the princess screaming. Is everything alright?" Kakashi asked, as he kneeled down in front of his two bosses.

"No worries. Nothing happened. She's alright," Tobirama finally replied. Once Samui finished dressing up behind the closed doors, she immediately stormed out the bathroom. The bodyguard finally lifts up his head to evaluate the situation. Kakashi sees that Tobirama was peacefully relaxing in the onsen, with his arms stretched out and eyes closed. He notices his friend sporting a small grin as he laid his head back on a towel. Kakashi smiled and quietly excused himself, allowing his friend to continue enjoying his morning bath.

…

The princess notices Karui sporting a wide smug on her face. Samui could tell that Karui was anxious to hear an explanation. "Stop that! Nothing happened. It's not what it looked like!"

"Then why did I saw _that_ , huh?"

"Ugh! That pervert had the audacity to come inside while I was bathing! I thought it was you, but when I turned around, I saw that… well… it was him, so I just screamed. And then somehow… I slipped and he… he caught me."

Karui raised her eyebrows and smirk. "Wow~ How _romantic_ ~ It's just like a scene from a romance novel~" Annoyed of Karui's taunts, Samui pinched the maid's arm. "Ahahaha! Sorry~ It was just too cute~ I've never seen you blush this much before! Princess, are you perhaps falling for the prince?"

Samui furrowed her brows. "B-Baka! I'll never fall for that arrogant pervert!"

"Never say never," Karui teased. Samui clenched her fist – she was eager to knock some sense into her nosy friend. Without warning, Samui puts Karui in a choke hold, forcing her to quit the ridiculous teasing. "Ok, ok! I'll stop now!"

The older house maid, Fuen (side note - she was a member of Furido's 4-Man team, just like Fuka, but in this story, she is a maid while Fuka is an oiran), spotted the princess and Karui. She was unimpressed at how ill-mannered and immature the two girls were. "Ahem! I apologize for disturbing your guy's little… play? Anyways, I am Fuen, I am Prince Tobirama's maid. I was told to come remind you that you have to attend a tea ceremony and have breakfast with the shogun and his wife." Fuen directed Samui to the main castle. Samui didn't know why, but she was able to sense a bit of hostility from the older maid.

…

Once Samui arrived to the dining area, she saw that everyone was already seated. She saw Tobirama rolling his eyes. That irritated her, but Samui decided to not cause a scene. After apologizing and greeting Hashirama and Mito, she went to sit down. She sat particularly far from Tobirama and refused to acknowledge his presence. Tobirama could care less, but it was obvious that Hashirama and Mito felt a little uncomfortable with the hostile attitudes of the newlyweds. Despite the awkward association between the two of them, Mito nodded and smiled to Hashirama. She approved of her new sister-in-law's lady-like manners. For once, Samui was glad that she was taught etiquette's from Madam Shijimi. If it wasn't for Madam Shijimi's intense training, Samui would have easily embarrassed herself in front of her new family.

Hashirama and Mito invited the newlyweds to accompany them to a nearby temple. They purposely wanted the younger couple to develop better communication and acquaintance with each other – but that obviously did not happen. Tobirama and Samui continued bickering even more, just like cats and dogs. Mito sighed. She nudges her husband to go talk to them, so they joined the younger couple on the bridge.

"Do you like the temple's garden, Princess?"

"Ah, yes. It's very… beautiful and serene. It's just a shame that there's a constant fly buzzing in my ear, distracting me." Tobirama and Samui gave each other a dirty look. They were both ready to continue bickering again.

"Ahem!" the shogun interrupted. "This is a sacred place. Please keep it down… Moving on to another similar topic… Your relationship should be a safe haven, not a battlefield. The world is hard enough already."

"Hmph! Despite her age and how womanly her body shape is, it's a shame that she still acts like a child."

"B-Baka!" Samui's face blushed bright red from Tobirama's insult.

Mito quietly giggled. Hashirama grinned and winked to Tobirama – also giving his little brother a big 'thumbs up'. "A-Anyways, the reason why I brought you two along is to tell you about the preparation for our annual cherry blossom festival."

"Cherry blossom festival?! Many people come to the Leaf Village just to view it, right? I only heard from the rumors of how beautiful it is. Ahh~ I can't believe it that I'll actually get to see it this time!"

"Hehehe. You're absolutely right. The Leaf is known for its beautiful cherry blossoms. There will be many spectators coming into our country. Therefore, this will be the best time to introduce you to the citizens."

"Hm? What do you mean, Mito-san?" asked Samui.

"We want you and Tobirama to be present together at all times during the festivities."

"Eh?" The two newlyweds looked at each other with disgust. They instantly hated the idea.

…

"What the hell did you just say?!" Apparently, Fuka had just found out from Fuen that Tobirama is married.

"Eh?! How could you not know about it? Aren't you _crazy_ over the prince?" Fuka glared at Fuen with murderous eyes. The older woman slowly backed away from the furious oiran. "I-I'm sorry. I forgot."

After calming herself down, Fuka backed away from the frightened maid. She dropped down to her chair and slapped her hand on the table, startling her friend. "So _that's_ what Lord Madara meant by 'competition', huh?! Who exactly is this 'princess' that I am not aware of?"

"Competition? Ahahaha! The princess cannot even compare to you, my dear! She is so ill-mannered and childish! Prince Tobirama would never fall for someone like her. You are way more beautiful and have much better qualities than her, my dear." After Fuen's encouraging words, Fuka was finally able to relax.

"Hmph! I want to meet her in person now. I need to give her a piece of my mind and let her know who _I_ am."

"Don't worry, my dear. I will surely do my best to find a time for you to meet her privately." The two girls smirked to each other. They were quietly plotting a perfect 'introduction' for Samui.

…

It was finally mid-March, and the beautiful cherry blossoms were starting to bloom. Tobirama and Samui followed closely behind Hashirama and Mito, as they made their way to the temple. After making their prayers and paying respects to the gods, they went to town, where they were greeted by many citizens. Everyone was in awe and adored the newlyweds. 'Don't they look great together?' 'The princess is such a beauty.' 'They are both so adorable.' Samui could hear the gossips from the people. She slightly blushed at the complements. All of a sudden, Fuen came running to her master, claiming that there was a brawl at the market. Therefore, Tobirama and his guards left to settle the dispute. Samui shrugged it off and continued exploring the market. Once Tobirama left, Fuka unexpectedly showed herself in front of Samui.

"Um, excuse me, but you are in my way, ma'am." She saw that the beautiful and extravagantly dressed woman had a dour expression on. Fuka eyed Samui from head to toe.

"Hmph! Competition, my ass."

"Excuse me?"

"Sigh. Even though you and the prince are married, he surely does not love you. We all know that the manly Tobirama will never fall for a bratty, immature kid like you. This is not a request, but a warning. Back off from my man, or else, there will be no good ending for you."

Samui and Karui both looked at each other. 'Did this woman just threatened me? Is this what bullying is?' All of a sudden, the two friend hysterically laughed. "Bwahahaha!" Fuka was surprised at Samui's reaction to her threat. After wiping her tears from laughing too much, Samui purposely wanted to aggravate the spiteful oiran. Samui crossed her arms and smirked. "Last time I checked, _he was my man_. What? Worried that he won't come visit you anymore, oiran? Heh. Don't worry. I'm not greedy over someone like him. I can let you borrow him from time to time whenever I'm tired of him~" she teased. Fuka was fuming with anger! She raised her hand up, ready to slap Samui's face. Not showing any signs of fear at all, Samui stepped closer to Fuka. "Do it! _I dare you_. Let's see who Tobirama will favor – his poor, defenseless wife or the washed-up, venomous oiran like you."

Fuka's eyes widen with disbelief. "D-Did you just insulted me!"

"Ahahaha!" Samui spotted Tobirama coming back. "Goodbye, oiran~" Samui happily glides to her husband, leaving the furious oiran behind.

"Fuka! Are you just going to let her insult you like that?"

"Shut up, Fuen! Time for 'Plan B'!"

…

"Where were you?" Tobirama asked Samui.

"Oh, you know, just looking around."

Tobirama notices Samui's positive change of attitude. "You seem happy."

"Kekeke! Of course! It's a beautiful day today!" For some reason, seeing Samui's jolly smile for the first time made him happy too. They walked to the town's canal district and rode in a donko bune (riverboat). The two were accompanied by a boatman's singing and the sound of the relaxing water. In addition, they toured the city and viewed the bountiful cherry blossoms that were planted along the river. Samui was so drawn into the scenic view, that she didn't even notice Tobirama gazing at her. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't lay his eyes off of her. He had never seen Samui so calm and quiet before. She looked very… _enchanting_.

"Wow~ This is absolutely stunning. I've never seen anything as beautiful as this before."

"I'm glad you're enjoying the view. It's a shame though…"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"We have this saying, 'Blooming season is powerful, glorious and intoxicating, but tragically short-lived – a visual reminder that our lives, too, are fleeting.'" Suddenly, Samui frowned. She was a little sad to hear that. But at the same time, she was surprise to hear something so real and mature from Tobirama.

Soon, their ride ended. They humbly thanked the boatmen for his great service. All of a sudden, Fuka and her riverboat pulled up next to them. "Prince Tobirama! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" She waved and sweetly smiled at Tobirama. Fuka jumped onto their boat and unexpectedly held onto the prince's arm. "You meanie! How come you haven't visited me lately? Don't you know how much I missed you?" She pursed her lips and gave him puppy eyes, desperately wanting Tobirama's attention.

Grimacing slightly, Samui sighed and crossed her arms. Tobirama tried to move her hand away, but she continued to hold onto him tightly. After some struggle, she finally releases him. "Fuka, you know damn well that it is improper for a woman to do that."

"But Prince Tobirama~ I missed you too much~"

Samui rolled her eyes. "Ahem! I'm sure you two have a lot to talk to each other, so I'll be heading back first." As Samui was about to jump up to the dock, Fuka acted like she was slipping and rocked the boat. "Kyaa! W-What's going on?!"

"Samui!" Tobirama tried to catch her hand, but it was too late.

Samui lost her balance and fell straight into the water! "Ahh!" Worried, Tobirama instantly jumped into the water and helped carry Samui up onto the dock. All the people nearby huddled around to check out the scene. They witnessed the prince and princess completely drenched in water. "Cough! Cough!"

"Are you ok, Samui?!" Samui saw Tobirama with a very worried expression. Samui was still in shock, that all she could do was nod and continue coughing. She was trembling due to her wet clothes and the cool weather. Soon, the guards arrived and carried the two back to the castle.

To be continued… ❤️️


	7. Recovery

**A/N** : Hey guys. Sorry for lagging on this story! I've been busy - mostly just lazy. Anyways, thank you guys for the continuous support. Here's a cute chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Recovery**

After prescribing some pain relief and fever medications for Samui, the doctor left and allowed the princess to be in Karui's care. Karui held her tired friend's hand. She was so worried about Samui that she started to cry.

"Baka! I'm not dying or anything. I just have a little fever."

"But princess! I feel so bad for not being able to help you! If your dad finds out about this, I'll be in big trouble!" Samui shook her head and flicked Karui's forehead. "Ouch! Princess~" Samui giggled.

The door opened and they both peeked to see who it was. "You can go rest up now, Karui. I'll look after Samui." The maid was reluctant at first but soon obeyed her master and left the bridal room, allowing the two of them some privacy. Tobirama handed Samui a cup of medicine. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry for not being able to catch your hand in time. Because of me, you were humiliated and had to suffer that damn fever." Samui smiled, reassuring him that there was nothing to worry about, because she will surely recover soon. Tobirama was surprised that she was calm about the situation.

After drinking the medicine, Samui thanked him. "No problem. This is the least I can do. If there's anything else, please don't hesitate to ask me-"

"I seriously mean it, thank you for saving me."

"I'm just doing my duty. I don't want the Cloud or Leaf to go into war over an accident." He puts the cup aside and ordered her to rest.

Samui sighed. She was disappointed that that was his reasoning. She set the cup down and leaned back into bed. Before leaving, Tobirama gave her another blanket. It was warmer now. Samui smiled and closed her eyes. She soon fell asleep.

. . .

As Fuka was getting ready for the night, she suddenly stopped her tracks when she sees Tobirama at the market. "Prince Tobirama?! W-What are you doing here?" She stepped away from her Shinzo (courtesans-in-training) and kamuro (courtesans' attendant) and ordered them to allow her some privacy with the prince. Once they left, she sported a coy smile and clung to Tobirama's arm. "What a surprise to see you here! Did you miss me~" His expression dulled. Fuka looked up and saw that Tobirama with a stone cold expression. She was a little confused and rapidly blinking. "Prince?"

He shoved her off. "If you ever do something shitty like that ever again, don't blame me for being too harsh."

"W-What are you talking about?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't play dumb. Consider yourself lucky that the princess is rather lenient on the incident." He excused himself and ditched the oiran. Fuka clenched her jaw and breathed heavily through her nostrils. She was mad that Tobirama had seen through her scheme. But she was even more furious that he was backing Samui up.

. . .

When they arrived to the hotel, Fuka rejected another client. She was sitting at the table, chugging away the prepared sake.

"Fuka-oneesan, why are you refusing your client again?! If okasan finds out-"

Fuka glared at the younger girls. "Who's gonna find out?!" The two frightened girls immediately shut their mouth and showed themselves outside. On their way out, they saw the daimyo again. Madara chuckled. When he entered Fuka's room, he saw exactly what he had predicted - Fuka furiously throwing and crashing objects all over the place. "What do you want?!" she harshly demanded.

Madara widely grinned. "What do you think?" She heavily sighed and sat down next to him. The daimyo chuckled and slowly massaged her tense shoulders. Fuka slowly gave in to the soothing touches. "What's on your mind, beautiful?"

"I hate her. I hate her so much!"

"Who is this woman that you despise so much?"

"Samui." Madara chuckled. He already knew it. She turned around and pouted. "Isn't there anything you can do to help me?" she begged.

Madara lifted the pouty oiran's chin to face his gaze. He widely smirked. "And what is it that you want?"

"I want to destroy her~"

. . .

Every day for the next few days, Tobirama would accompany Samui and give her medication. Despite the awkward and little interactions between them, Samui had grown fond of Tobirama. Samui didn't know why, but sometimes she would catch herself off-guard taking glances and peeks at him or awaiting for his acquaintance.

. . .

Samui was all well again. She went to the kitchen to look for her friend. She notices Karui preparing some vegetables. "Karui. Psst! Karui!" The maid looked over and sees the princess. Samui was acting weird. She somehow looked very shy.

"What is it?"

"I-I want to learn to cook."

Karui blinked a few times. She couldn't process the words that was coming out of Samui's mouth. Ever since she had known Samui, the princess had never shown any interest in cooking or attempting to learn. "What's this about, Samui?"

"Just teach me, alright."

"But why? You've never learned before. Plus, you don't need to."

Samui sighed. "I want to cook a dish to thank that ossan, okay. Happy now?" she finally admitted.

Karui raised her eyebrows. She couldn't help but widely grin. "I see..."

"Tch! It's not what you think! He's just been... very nice to me these last few days, so I just want to repay his kindness somehow. I-I don't know anything else other than this... So, just help me, alright."

Karui walked up to Samui and pat her head. "Sure sure, whatever you say, my friend. Hehehe." She brought her inside the kitchen and started showing her how to prep the vegetables.

. . .

Samui brought out a dish that she had finished preparing and sets it on the table. Karui took a spoon and sipped the broth. She instantly gagged!

"Is it really that bad?!" Samui asked, with a worrisome face.

"Cough! Cough!" Karui wiped her mouth and grabbed some water to gargle the awful taste out of her mouth. "Oh lord! Princess! I've never tasted something so heinous before! What did you put in there? Didn't you follow my exact instructions and ingredients?"

"Of course I did."

Karui looked down in the soup bowl and notices a weird piece of vegetable. She scooped it out. It was no vegetable. Instead, it was a plant.

"Wahh! I suck! I have no talent at all!" Samui started to cry.

"Sigh. Calm down, princess. This is just your first time. Everyone makes mistakes. You'll eventually get the hang of it. C'mon, let's do it again. However, this time, I should probably not leave your side at all. God knows what you'll put in there next."

"Sniff. O-Okay."

. . .

Samui brewed some fresh tea the next morning and brought it over to Tobirama's study room.

Knock. Knock. "May I come in?"

"Sure."

Samui lets herself inside. She just realized that it was her first time in the room. She looked around and was amazed at all the paintings and calligraphy decorated on the wall.

"Wow. These are beautiful artworks. Did you design them yourself?"

"Yes," he replied, while still busy working on a new calligraphy.

Samui went to his desk and glance at his penmanship. It was so beautiful and elegant. Hers would probably look like chicken scratches compared to his.

"What brings you here?"

"Ah, that's right." Samui sets the teapot down on his desk. "I brewed some fresh tea this morning. Thought you'd like some."

"No, thank you."

Samui pouted. "Ah, c'mon. I worked really hard on this." She poured the tea into a cup and handed it to him. He declined. "C'mon, it's not bad." She handed it to him again. However, this time, she accidentally tilted the cup, making the hot liquid burn her hand. "Ouch!" She moved her hand and ended up spilling the cup of tea onto her hand and his artwork. Samui gasped when she saw the destroyed art. "Oh my! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She used her sleeves to dry the paper, but it only made it worst by smearing the paint.

Tobirama slammed his brush down, making Samui cower. She knew she was going to get scolded again. Tobriama grabbed her arm and lifted her sleeve. He examined the burn. It looked pretty bad. He got up and searched through a cabinet. He returned with a first aid kit. He grabbed her hand and gently applied some ointment onto her burnt hand. It stung, but it also felt soothing at the same time.

Samui couldn't believe it. Instead of scolding her, Tobirama was helping her. She could feel her heart beating fast while her face was heating up. She stared at him, unable to resist his worrisome expression.

When Tobirama finished applying the ointment, he blew cold air on her hand before bandaging it. He looked up and saw Samui completely zoned out. "Hey." There was no response from her. "Hey." Still no response. "Samui!"

"W-What?!"

"I'm done."

She awkwardly smiled and nodded, while moving her hand away from him. She held her injured hand and looked at the bandaging. It was neatly wrapped. "Hey, I'm so sorry about-"

Before she could complete her sentence, Kakashi immediately rushed in. "Sorry for the interruption, your highness. But I have news that needs your attention."

Tobirama nodded. He grabbed his haori and wore it. He notices Samui with her head down. She looked gloomy. Sigh. Tobirama grabbed the teapot and open its lid. He quickly blew on the liquid a few times to cool it and poured the whole pot down his throat.

Samui watched in amazement. She couldn't believe it.

"Burp! Ok, let's go now," the prince commanded his gaurd.

"Yes, sir!"

They soon left the room, leaving the princess behind, still in complete awe of what just happened. After a while, she grabbed the empty teapot and also left the room.

. . .

It was late at night when Tobirama finally returned to his study room. He took off his haori and noticed a piece of paper on his desk. He grabbed it and read it. "I truly apologize for ruining your beautiful calligraphy. Please don't resent me. I tried to copy another one for you, but unfortunately, my penmanship is horrible. Sorry! I'll be ready to accept any punishment. Oh, and also, thank you for tending my wound earlier. If you hadn't, I wouldn't even be able to write this letter to you right now. Sincerely, Samui." Tobirama smiled when he saw a happy face drawn at the bottom of the page. 'What a silly girl.'

He took out a futon from his closet and laid it on the floor. He grabbed a pillow and placed it on one side of the futon. When his bed was ready, he took out a long sheath of kunai's from his leg pocket and slipped it back into a cabinet where it belonged. Finally, he went to sleep.

To be continued... ❤


End file.
